Japan Aid

The tsunami disaster

A devastating earthquake triggering a tsunami brought distress and suffering to the people of Japan on 11 March 2011. Severe aftershocks, fires, a sudden return of winter, and a nuclear disaster followed.

The Japanese government initially rejected humanitarian aid from abroad for reasons of pride. But Human Plus immediately began preparing aid measures for the people in emergency shelters and hospitals in the disaster zone.

Germany’s now retired Federal President Christian Wulff also immediately started calling for donations, claiming that “aid will benefit the homeless, who are now dependent on support. It’s about helping friends. We Germans have also received foreign assistance during difficult times.”
With the help of LUFTHANSA CARGO, the first lot of aid reached Japan quickly and safely. WDR reported on this (see film).

Thanks to its excellent German business contacts and streamlined structure, Human Plus e.V. is able to provide extensive aid services. All staff in Germany are volunteers.

Our partner for distributing the aid supplies on site was Japanese aid organisation TDERF, founded by actress Natassia Malthe and Ben Stiller.

We were able to secure FEDEX as a partner for the Japan aid operation, and thus, in July and October 2011, send another 35 tonnes of aid supplies to Japan for displaced persons still living in emergency shelters in north-eastern Japan. Most of these were orphans and the elderly.

That same year, Human Plus also supported the 18-man football team set up by a boarding school in southern Thailand.
It was originally established to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami. The children had lost their parents and relatives, and were suffering from illness and horrific social conditions.

Over the years, the boarding school also accepted children from very poor and dysfunctional families, who were unable to financially or emotionally support their children.

Ioannidis is confident that the children – armed with new shoes, goalie gloves and balls – will score a victory in their next match.

Further aid in the Asia region: Typhoon Hayan plunged the Philippines into chaos and despair with enormous force on 15 October 2013, killing several thousand people. Aid workers at the scene reported apocalyptic conditions.
As soon as the disaster became known, Human Plus sent aid all the way to the regions of West-Leyte, Nord-Cebu and the island of Bantayan. The Steyler missionaries were entrusted with 800 blankets, medicine, bandages, food and clothing to distribute to the people in need.

We would like to thank all donors and partners who made this aid project possible.